Thoughts Happen

Book giveaway and Facebook Fan-A-Thon

The time is finally right for the first ever Thoughts Happen Book Giveaway and Facebook Fan-A-Thon. I'm so appreciative of all my readers and glad that many of you have referred your friends to the blog, so here's your chance to get recognized and maybe win one of 4 very cool books (all of which I have of course read and recommend).  

Here's how it works. Every Facebook Fan of Thoughts Happen who posts to the wall asking to be entered into the giveaway will get one entry into a drawing for one of four books: Frank McCourt's Teacher Man, Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking, The Best of Creative Nonfiction Vol. I, edited by Lee Gutkind, and Moonshine Harvest, by Don Hayen (of The Trip Over blog, whom I wrote about in my post, Alzheimer's: It's a Trip). In addition, if a friend referred you to Thoughts Happen and that's why you became a fan, your friend can get an entry too.

All you have to do is post to the Thoughts Happen Wall and say, "I'm a fan of Thoughts Happen and my friend Alice in Wonderland referred me," and you will both get an entry into the drawing. The more entries, the more chances you have to win one of the books. The contest will go until noon Pacific Standard Time on January 15, 2011. After all the names have been entered, I will have Daughter randomly pick four names and I'll send you a message on Facebook letting you know you've won. I'll try to give you first pick at the book you want based on first come, first served, so keep an eye on your Facebook this weekend. 

Thanks and remember, the more friends you refer, the more entries you get.

 

Alzheimer's: It's a Trip

Don Hayen has Alzheimer’s, and he knows it. A retired physician living in the San Diego area, Hayen got an early diagnosis of his condition in 2005. But rather than cower in fear, Hayen has chosen to do the unusual; he has offered to bring us along on his journey.

I learned about Hayen from a profile in the North County Times in July of 2006 that talked about his newly launched blog called The Trip Over. Hayen started the blog to share his story and communicate more openly about a disease that most people don’t want to talk about because it’s just too scary, too overwhelming, and too plain awkward. I know, because I kept the newspaper clipping for over two years before I got up the courage to start reading his blog myself.

I lost two grandmothers to Alzheimer’s, and though I was not directly involved with their care, I was aware of their slow decline, and it terrified me. Perhaps because of the fact that I didn’t face their condition directly I have felt drawn to Hayen’s blog since the day I heard of it, hoping to exorcise my own fears by being led virtually along the path by this courageous and generous stranger.

Through his blog I’ve come to know Don (I feel I can call him that after reading his thoughts for a year) as a kind, occasionally cranky yet undeniably positive person, and I appreciate so much his willingness to share the trials and tribulations, as well as everyday victories and observations on life with Alzheimer’s.

Don is also taking a literal walk with Alzheimer’s this weekend on October 24 by participating in the Alzheimer’s Association’s Memory Walk in San Diego’s Balboa Park to raise funds and awareness to fight the disease as part of team The Trip Over. I can’t participate in person this year but was happy to make a donation to the team at http://memorywalk09.kintera.org/sandiego/thetripover and would strongly encourage everyone who has been touched by this disease (and I know there are a lot of you) to do the same.

Keep walkin’ the walk, Don. We’re behind you 100 percent.

“And we can't run and we can't cheat,
'cause baby when we meet
what we're afraid of,
we find out what we're made of.” 

- Everything but the Girl, “We Walk the Same Line”

Don’s blog can be found at http://www.thetripover.com

Photo: North County Times